Foolishly I have never thought that I would be so easily defeated.

　As it turns out, Dr. Gorilla, it was surprisingly weak.
　I don't think there's much to look at.

　No, but he's a hypothetical instructor.
　He was probably cutting corners and letting his guard down because he was dealing with a student.

　I'll ask him just in case.

''Um........teacher, are you serious about that one?''
Oh no, that can't be it!
'Good. You're right, of course. I'm not even a tenth of what I really do.
Tenth of a percent?

　Dr. Gorilla turned over.

'Huh?　How long was the doctor?
Yeah, that's right, of course, I'm only a tenth...

　I wonder why my voice was getting quieter and quieter.

Sir....

　And for some reason, Melena-san is looking at the teacher with a scowl.

''Gosh, gosh, gosh!　Anyway!　I know exactly what you can do!　All right!　I can recommend a move to S class!　It should be official after the next staff meeting!

　Gorilla-sensei had promised me that.

'You did it, Ark-kun!
'Yes. But is this the right thing to do?　After all, it seems the doctor was only ten percent serious about it...
No, no, no!　For that matter, have you thought about the independent seminar?
Oh, yes.

　I nodded vigorously, but of course I didn't think about it at all.
　It was Leila who heard about it in the first place.

''It looks like we're going to be moving to S-class, and with the dueling thing going on, maybe this won't be enough for people to object to your participation.
Is that so?
'Yes. And more importantly, once you've seen the actual power, no one should be able to complain about it anymore.

　What exactly do they do?
　I'm curious, but I think it's probably already been explained to you, and it might seem strange to ask again here.

　Well, it would be similar to the one that Celestia-san is hosting.

''I understand. Then I'll try to participate in it once.
'Thank God!　It's going to be so much fun when you join us!　So what do you say to me earlier today after school?　I have a brief meeting.
'Yes. Then I'll go.
Thank you!






　....and after school.

"Oh, Ark-kun. You came properly.
Well, he said he was going.
Yeah, yeah, I like a girl who can keep her word.

　When I went to the classroom where we were to meet, Melena greeted me with a happy smile.

''Merena, is that first year the Ark-kun you were guessing?''
Yes, Endy,

　The one called Endy was a slender, medieval-looking boy.
　Apparently, he was also a participant in this seminar.

'I'll introduce you to him. This is Endy. He's a third year student like me.
Nice to meet you, Mr. Ark.
Yes, nice to meet you.

　Yet another boy - with a sharp look in his eyes - approached and sniffed arrogantly.

'Ha, he's still a kid. Did this guy really defeat Kasem?
It's not just Khazem. I took down a gorilla.
What?　That gorilla?
'Yes!　I'm sure they'll move you up to S class soon!

　Melena says triumphantly.

'Oh, this is Vanna. He's a third year.'
It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Vanna.
....

　Mr. Vanna just looked at me as if he was silently priced out.

　There were several other students in the classroom.
　I heard that there were no first-year participants yet, so they were probably second-year students.
　Most of them have been looking at me with the same skepticism as Vanna.

'Everyone seems to be coming together,'

　A few students, led by a fresh-looking young man, entered the classroom.

''Diaz-senpai!''
""Good job!"

　Then the students in the classroom stood up in unison and greeted each other.
　Perhaps these were the fourth year students.

　The young man called Diaz was a beautiful blond-haired, blue-eyed, tall man.
　And yet, he seemed mild.

　From what Melena-san told me beforehand, it seems that Diaz-san is the son of a duke family.
　I heard that she also has the right to succeed to the throne.

''Good work. .........Hmm, there's an unfamiliar face. Could it be that you are the Ark-kun that Merena was talking about?
'Oh, yes, yes,'
'I'm Diaz, the fourth year student who is organizing this independent seminar. Melena has told me about you. I heard you beat Mr. Gora?

　Gola?
　Oh, you mean Dr. Gorilla.
　His real name is almost the same...

Just in case.........
'That's great. There are only a few people in fourth grade who can deal properly with their teachers.
No, Mr. Diaz, you don't believe that?

　It was Mr. Vanna who interrupted me earlier.

'It wouldn't hurt to lie, would it?'
I don't know. Maybe Melena's guy has been pushing that guy for so long that he can't back out now, and he's just blown a big conspiracy theory.
I wouldn't do that.
I don't know.

　They glare at each other.
　It's awkward for them to be fighting about me, but perhaps by the looks of it, they don't usually get along very well.

''Well, you'll find out what's really going on soon enough. Ark-kun, do you by any chance have a brother or sister in the magic department?
Yes. I have a twin sister.
I knew it.

　Mr. Diaz nodded widely.
　The others looked like they were huffing and puffing.

'Oh, now that you mention it, we look a lot alike.
'What?　Maybe that's why I gave a representative address at the Commencement ceremony...
The first-year student of the "Magical Sword Princess"?
'Seriously?　You had twins in the same grade!

　Apparently, there were rumors about Leila among the senior students in the martial arts department.

''The next live-fire training, it's going to be quite fun.
'Diaz, senior?　What do you mean?
As a matter of fact, we're going to have a joint training session with an independent seminar of the magic department that Her Highness is hosting.